Succession – West Vancouver
West Vancouver, BC, 2022
“Succession” is site-specific artwork informed by ‘post contact’ development within West Vancouver with a specific focus on the existing Municipal City Hall development site. It is a sculptural connection joining the two buildings and highlighting the main entrance.
Conceptually this artwork is based on biological succession: the phenomenon or process by which an ecological community undergoes predictable changes following a disturbance or colonization of a new habitat. The first plants to appear are those that have adapted to survive in adverse conditions. These plants put nutrients into the soil initiating a nurturing habitat for successive plant colonies to thrive. Over time a complex ecological habitat matures to support ever-changing communities,
“Succession” illustrates the evolutionary cycle of the community as illustrated by the successive change at the 17th and Fulton Ave. site. Evolution becomes an appropriate metaphor for the community surrounding the Municipal Hall site – an epicenter signaling the transformation of this community’s character shaped by increased density and gentrification. This sculptural colony of new growth is arching from the shadows seeking sunlight. The placement of the vertical elements of “Succession” will help to define spaces, places and edges and engage the passerby.